Undergraduate Research

Undergraduate research gives students an opportunity to work with experts in their
field while having a hands-on learning experience. The learning that occurs though
undergraduate research cannot be gained in a traditional classroom setting.

The University of South Carolina is the only institution in the state that has received
the highest ranking by the Carnegie Foundation as an institution with "very high research
activity." College of Engineering and Computing researchers are providing solutions
to problems that will benefit the people of South Carolina, our nation and the world.

Undergraduate students make important contributions to our research efforts by completing
independent study courses, working in grant-funded research positions, and participating
in University-sponsored undergraduate research scholarship and educational programs.

Independent Study Courses

These courses provide a closely supervised project or research experience and allow
a student to earn elective credit that can count towards degree requirements. Independent
study course contracts are developed by the student and the mentor and must be approved
by the department and the Dean. Contact your advisor for more information.

Capstone Design Initiative

As an undergraduate student, you'll test your knowledge in real-world applications.
The Capstone Design course is a required course for seniors that pairs a student team
with an industry partner on a project to design an engineering or computing solution to a business problem.

Grant-Funded Research Positions

Our faculty members lead various research programs that are funded by government agencies,
private foundations and industry. Undergraduate students are frequently employed part-time
throughout the year to assist with these programs. Interested students should discuss
these opportunities with their academic advisor and other faculty.

Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)

The chemical engineering department organizes a National Science Foundation summer research experience for external undergraduates students. Participants conduct research under the direction
of our full-time faculty members. Students perform research in areas ranging from
nanostructured materials to molecular simulation to advance their understanding of
processes and materials that underpin combustion, CO2 capture and storage, and the
chemical conversion of CO2 to fuels and chemicals. Students use the state-of-the-art
experimental and computational facilities available at UofSC. Special events such
as seminars, workshops and visits to local industries are also planned throughout
the summer.

Office of Undergraduate Research

The university's Office of Undergraduate Research seeks to enrich the academic experience of all USC undergraduates by providing research
and scholarly experiences in their chosen fields. The Office manages the Magellan
Scholar fellowship program to support our talented undergraduates in a mentored research
experience. It provides venues for undergraduates to present and publish their research.
It also sponsors seminars for students to learn many of the skills necessary for becoming
successful researchers.